Why should parents who homeschooled ‘Matilda’ star risk prison?
by Robert Clarke, Christian Today:
It’s difficult to miss the irony. The parents of the child star who played Matilda in the West End musical about a prodigy’s struggles in a difficult school environment are facing prison for not sending their prodigy to school.
Edward Hardy and his wife Eileen Tracy have always homeschooled their 12-year-old daughter, Lilian. After being cast in the title role, an application for her performing licence put her on the radar of Westminster City Council. Despite her parents sending in samples of her work and activities, this was not enough.
The Department for Education has issued guidelines for local authorities which say that local authorities ‘have no statutory duties in relation to monitoring the quality of home education on a routine basis’. Under the Education Act 1996, where they have reason to believe that parents are not providing a suitable education, they can require the parents to ‘satisfy them…that the child is receiving [a suitable] education’.
Westminster went much further than this, claiming it has its ‘own policy’ and demanding either an inspection with Lilian, or an endorsement by an evaluator. Because the family have refused to submit to Westminster’s specific demands, they have been ordered to send Lilian to school by March 7. If they do not, they face a criminal conviction and a fine. If that fine remains unpaid, they face prison.
Related Posts
Tags
Share This
